Information

Type: Deliberation

Department: CM - County Manager (including Budget)

Directors' Update: Sept. 27, 2023

Business Meeting: Oct. 3, 2023

Summary:

Approving of a Rapid Capital Housing Acquisition grant and related documents to reimburse  the purchase of 1258 SE Washington Ave, Chehalis, in the amount of $467,235.

Publications:

Cover Letter To:

Additional Copies To: Steve Wohld, Chief of Internal Services Stephanie Miller, Drug Court Administrator

Resolution

WHEREAS, Lewis County has strong and effective Drug Court and Family Recovery Court programs that encourage participants to make meaningful, productive changes to improve their lives, reduce criminal recidivism, and reunite with their families, resulting in a better outcome for participants and society as a whole, as well as reduced taxpayer costs; and

WHEREAS, Drug Court and Family Recovery Court participants with no suitable place to stay succeed more often in the program if they have stable housing; and

WHEREAS, Lewis County's therapeutic court staff have experience managing housing for such participants, improving program outcomes and winning widespread respect and recognition within the community of similar programs; and

WHEREAS, such housing almost invariably serves those who are unsheltered and of very-low-income, as those terms are defined in Washington; and

WHEREAS, Lewis County recently purchased a house at 1258 SE Washington Ave., in Chehalis to ensure that this housing program can continue for the success of therapeutic court participants and the betterment of our community; and

WHEREAS, Lewis County applied for and received a grant of $467,235 from the Washington Department of Commerce's Rapid Capital Housing Acquisition program to reimburse this purchase and related expenditures; and

WHEREAS, obtaining such reimbursement preserves local county housing funds for other uses to fight homelessness, and there are many worthy local needs for such funding; and

WHEREAS, the grant agreements, identified as the HTF Capital Funding Contract and Promissory Note, and its associated real property documents, including a Deed of Trust and Low Income Housing Covenant Agreement, are therefore in the public interest.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the grant agreements and associated real property documents are approved. Steve Wohld, Chief of Internal Services, is authorized to sign them on behalf of Lewis County. He is additionally authorized to sign other similar documents related to closing the real property transaction to obtain the grant, if necessary.

DONE IN OPEN SESSION this 3rd day of October, 2023.